“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”
-Phil Jackson
PhD Students & Postdocs
Tuba Akgül Çağlar
I got my Bachelor’s degree in Marmara University Biology department and received MSc. degree from Institute of Biomedical Engineering in Bogazici University. I completed the Neuroscience PhD Program at Medipol University where studied the electrophysiological and molecular interactions between sensory neurons and cardiac muscle cells. Recently, I joined the Eroglu lab to establish intravital imaging techniques to investigate RNS and ROS signaling in the nervous system.
Hamza Yusuf Altun
I graduated from Bilkent University as a Molecular Biologist in 2017 and from SU in 2020. Few years ago I have established a start-up company which focuses on early detection of Small Cell Lung Cancer. My company is granted by TUBITAK Bigg. In the Eroglu Lab to develop unique biosensors for which we exploit the power of genetic probes and electrochemical methods in combination that will allow us to advance novel biomedical devises.
Melike Seçilmiş
I have studied Molecular Biology and Genetics at Yıldız Technical University in Istanbul. During my undergraduate studies, I mainly focused on induced pluripotent stem cells generated via genetic reprogramming of adult somatic cells and their relevance to regenerative medicine. In the Eroglu Lab, I develop high-content screening approaches using recombinant biosensors for in vitro applications. In addition, I perform high-resolution mitochondrial Calcium imaging in vascular cells.
Master Students
Asal Ghaffari Zaki
I graduated from Sabanci University in 2020. During my graduation project, I worked with nanobodies that were designed against a transcription factor and I realized that my passion is towards Biochemistry and Molecular interactions. Therefore, I joined Dr. Eroğlu's research team to pursue my interests. In this lab, I develop informative chemogenetic tools that enable us to manipulate cells' redox status with high spatial and temporal resolution. Using genetically encoded biosensors, we can simultaneoulsy visualize changes in redox perturbations at subcellular levels. Besides, we exploit recombinant biosensors to investigate the function of signaling ions in different tissues. And maybe on my way, I will discover novel functions.
Seyed Mohammad Miri
I have graduated in organic chemistry from Sharif University of Technology. Throughout my project on developing an intein-based biosensor, I got familiar with fundamentals of molecular biology, which ignited an enthusiasm for following my academic endeavor in a field dealing with visualising and disentangling convoluted biochemical pathways at cellular and molecular levels. To satiate my interest properly, I joined Dr. Eroğlu lab at Sabanci University working on the Nrf2 signalling pathway and how it is regulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in physiological conditions. In this regard, I aim at developing and incorporating sophisticated tools to trace and image participants of Nrf2 signalling within the live cells and in vivo.
Alumni
Ceyhun Yusuf Erdogan
Upon my interest in the development of novel and intriguing biotechnological tools, I joined Dr. Eroğlu’s team. My research in the Eroglu Lab focused on the design and development of chemogenetic tools which allows simultaneous manipulation and detection of distinct signaling pathways in single living cells. Now after my graduation I joined Dr. Eroğlu's partner lab in Austria and joined Prof. Roland Malli's group.
Emir Mete Ozgurses
I am a MSc Candidate in Molecular and Medical Genetics at Biruni University in Istanbul. Very recently, I have joined the Eroglu Lab to learn the application of genetically encoded biosensors to investigate the role of reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species in endothelial (patho) physiology. Recently I won a Fullbright Scholarship and continue my PhD studies at University of Illinois at Chicago - Graduate College
Büşra Nur Ata
I was drawn into the colorful world of fluorescent proteins and chromoproteins when I was a member of the IGEM team at Bilkent University. To deepen my understanding in protein engineering on how to transform fluorescent proteins to genetically encoded sensors, I joined the Eroglu Lab and focused on the design and development of transcription factor based biosensors for real-time imaging of Nrf2 pathways and studied the effects of oxidative stress and Nrf2 signaling pathways.
Gülşah Sevimli
I graduated from the Department of Genetics and Bioengineering at Istanbul Bilgi University. In a Tubitak supported project I studied the controlled naringin release -using thermoresponsive hydrogels. Very recently, I completed my Masters studies in the Eroglu Lab where I studied the relationship of pericellular oxygen levels and iron uptake in endothelial cells and the downstream effects on NO signaling in endothelial cells. I am continuing now my PhD on the same subject and aim to further advance novel tools for imaging labile iron in living cells.